Keith Fitzhugh spent his life waiting for one phone call. The call telling him an NFL team wanted him, and right away.
It wasn’t a far-fetched dream. Since graduating from Mississippi State in 2009, Fitzhugh, a 24-year-old strong safety, had drawn interest from both the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets. Three times he gained preseason tryouts. Three times he was released.
In September, deciding he just wasn’t quite good enough to play at that level, he took a job as a conductor on the Norfolk Southern Railroad. He wanted to be near his parents, who live outside of Atlanta and are having a difficult time. His father, Keith Sr., is disabled, and unable to work.
Then last week, the Jets phoned. Two of their safeties were out with injuries. The job offer for the rest of the season seemed too good to be true. The Jets are 9-3, seemingly a shoe-in to make the playoffs. Perhaps even advance to the Super Bowl.
Fitzhugh turned them down. He didn’t want to jeopardize losing the steady job that allowed him to provide for his parents.
“I know I haven’t won a Super Bowl; it would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” Fitzhugh told the Los Angeles Times. “But you only get one mom and one dad. I’d rather be there for my mom and dad.”
